Died a hero, became the villan
by ShadowedLemming
Summary: The final entry of The Bleeding Fang.


It was a great run, you know. The Fang was everything i had and more. They were more than friends, they were my family. I could never have imagined they had felt so differently than I. It took Faith, the love of my life, to show me that I was blind to what was really going on around me. I was so wrapped up in every mission, every case, my obsession with revenge for what Hallow had done to my family that i didn't see i was driving her into the arms of another. I was bitter when i found out. I didn't understand that it was my fault. Maybe it was that I didn't want to understand. After I found out, I began to see how far I had driven eveyone away and by the time I began to try to keep the pieces together, they were already lost.

I spents years after that alone. Afraid to open up again. Cases piled up, missions went unanswered. I began to grow angry. Not at them, not anymore. I was angry with myself. I began to think that the world was better of with out this shadow. I climbed to the summit of the mountain I had called home for so long, accepting that I was going to leave this world. I stood there, feeling the cool breeze of the night dance on my skin and scars. This would be the last time I thought i would ever feel this. I drew a long breath and leaped.

I spun in the air so as to watch the stars as I fell. Time slowed but not because of my abilities. I wouldn't have wanted to draw this out. I couldn't hear anything. It was, for the first time in my life, completely quite. Serine almost. Like everything was going to be okay now. I was so lost in this thought that I hadn't noticed the trees come back into view. The six story fall went by like the blind of an eye. I was on the ground now. my bones broken, lungs compressed and unable to expand. This was the end. This is where I end...

Shade lay on the dirt path that once led to the cave entrance. His bones were broken and breathing shallow. The team he once cared so much for would never know of this. Never know his demise at his own hands. As everything began to fade, the last thing he heard was the sound of soft footsteps approaching his soon lifeless body.

"Of course I burden someone right as I'm about to die." Shade's final thought went unspoken. Everything went black.

The footsteps were a hooded figure sliping almost unnoticed through the brush. Animals were not startled by his presence, the figure stepped on the path and appeared to be watch the body of a young man for signs of life. The on looker did not panic, did not call for help, just stood there for what seemed to be an eternity but in reality was jsut a few minutes. A chuckle rippled from under the hood.

"What is the difference?" the starnger thought. "I'm in no hurry."

With a sigh, the figure raised a hand from under the cloak. The skin of the hand seemed to glow in the moon light. With a snap of the fingers, Shade's lifeless body rose into he air. Just a few feet off the ground. With another snap, bones began to creak and bend. The sound always reminded the stranger of trees bending amd swaying in the wind. After a minute, Shade's body lowered to the ground again. His bones mended like they had never been broken at all, his internal organs repaired from.the massive impact. Stooping over the body, the figure produced a a small vile containing a silver, smoky eccence. The cork was removed and the contents tipped into Shade's mouth. The figure stepped back and watched as Shade once again rose into the air. The wind whipped up the dust on the path and caused a few leaves to fall as Shade slowly decended to the ground. This time standing on his feet again. His eyes opened but were not longer the deedeep, glowing red but their natural hazel. The scars of years had disappeared. He felt better than he ever had. Then the realization cam over him like a 50 ton weight. Why was he alive? Shade looked back at the cliff he had just feel from. There is no way he should be alive.

"You are confused. This is normal. It happens every time we do this." The sudden break in the quite night made Shade jump.

"Who are you?" Shade spun on his heel and readied for a fight, "Show yourself."

"Shade, how many times have we done this and you still dont remember me?" The hood that had covered the figure's face fell back. Black hair, cut with military precision, crowned a pale face. "I'm Death."


End file.
